Chapter 81: Dream Affairs

Chapter 81: Dream Affairs

Ji Ze indeed dreamed of Lin Qiao, but the events unfolded quite differently from reality.

In real life, Lin Qiao had come to find him on the day he went to the hospital to visit his grandfather. In the dream, however, she appeared two days later.

In the dream, Lin Qiao didn’t run into his uncle but only his mother.

His mother, of course, refused to admit that Lin Qiao had found the Ji family and chased her away. With no other options, Lin Qiao became so desperate that she collapsed at the Ji family's doorstep from a heart ailment.

When things took a turn for the worse, Aunt Zhang, the nanny at the Ji family, couldn’t just stand by, and Old Master Ji soon found out.

The old master was still hospitalized and returned without even changing out of his patient's clothes. He watched as Lin Qiao was sent in for emergency treatment, barely alive. The doctors said she had just had an episode a few days earlier, and it was only because she was brought in time that she survived. If it had been any later, she might not have made it.

The granddaughter of an old comrade-in-arms who had saved his life, and who was betrothed to their family, was nearly driven to death by his eldest daughter-in-law. Old Master Ji's fury was palpable.

He pointed at his daughter-in-law and told her to get out, and even sent Ji Ze's father, who had rushed back, away.

In his twenty-something years of life, it was the first time Ji Ze had seen his grandfather so resolute. Whether he wanted to or not, this marriage was happening.

In the dream, he was even less willing than in reality, but there was no uncle to help maneuver his mother.

Moreover, with someone still lying in a hospital bed, one wrong move could have led to a real tragedy.

So he had no choice but to marry her, but he was still resentful. Thus, he negotiated terms with his family: if he married Lin Qiao, they had to fully support his venture into business.

However, just as they had settled on this, there was still a mess back in Lin Qiao's hometown waiting for them to clean up.

Lin Qiao had run away on the day of her wedding to Ma Rongliang. They had already prepared the introduction letters and were set to register for marriage that day. Her escape led both families to search for her and even file a police report, causing quite a bit of trouble for Ji Ze's family to resolve.

Given how things had played out, it’s hard to imagine he could have liked her much, no matter how beautiful Lin Qiao was.

So on the wedding night, he didn’t even enter the honeymoon suite, drinking with his childhood friends until late at night and crashing on the sofa.

The day after the wedding, he skipped the honeymoon and dove right into setting up his electrical appliance factory.

"An electrical appliance factory?" Ji Duo paused in his ash-flicking motion, his dark gaze falling on Ji Ze's face. "In your dream, wasn't your aunt making liquid soap?"

Ji Ze, still smarting from the scolding, didn’t dare withhold anything. "I don't know. In my dream, we weren't close. I barely saw her a few times a year. All I knew was that she didn’t have a job and would come to me for living expenses every once in a while."

He couldn’t tell if she was coming for money or using it as an excuse to see him. Either way, he found her annoying in the dream.

In the dream, his business didn’t run nearly as smoothly as it did in real life. Although marrying Lin Qiao meant he received full support from his family and secured the loan, his uncle blocked him when it came to purchasing the production line.

Ji Ze didn’t know when his uncle had approached his aunt and uncle, bypassing him to order another production line from abroad.

As it turned out, his uncle’s decision was the right one. But when the news came back, Ji Ze was dumbfounded. Upon hearing this, Yu Jin expressed that he didn’t trust Ji Ze and began to grow closer to Chen Weiguo.

During that time, he drifted apart from many of his childhood friends—more accurately, those friends drifted away from him. His factory’s operations didn’t go as smoothly as he had imagined.

Suppliers, salespeople, and raw material manufacturers all tried to take advantage of him. He lost a lot of money learning these lessons.

Unlike in real life, where he had started by selling products on his bike, he was already familiar with the business and managed to avoid major losses, though the factory still faced some minor setbacks.

With such a tough start, he had to pour all his energy into getting the factory running smoothly. There was no time to deal with Lin Qiao.

The more he ignored her, the more she latched onto him. At first, she came asking for money and trying to get him to come back, but later, she started suspecting him of having an affair with a new female accountant at the factory.

He found it baffling because, apart from her looks, the Lin Qiao in his dream was nothing like the one he knew in real life.

Ji Duo listened as he described how the Lin Qiao in his dream had never worked and relied on him for support, but Ji Duo remained silent, his eyes becoming even more unfathomable.

The moment Ji Ze saw Ji Duo's expression, he felt a twinge of discomfort, as if anticipating a scolding. "This is really from my dream, not something I made up. If I were making it up, would I really think of divorcing my aunt and then marrying Song Jing? We’re not even in the same ballpark. That’s why I said I’m sick, and if I don’t enjoy life now, I’ll have less time."

He touched his slicked-back hair and adjusted his tie, letting out a long sigh.

Ji Duo just looked at him, his gaze not the kind one would give a normal person.

After a long while, the man took another drag of his cigarette, his hand resting on the open window sill. "You said you two got divorced. When was that?"

"Timing-wise, it was a few months ago. I remember it was after three years, and I gave her a large sum of money," Ji Ze said.

He was so frustrated that he wanted to give her enough money to last a lifetime, so she wouldn’t come back to him.

In the dream, Lin Qiao caused so much trouble that he decided to divorce her. His grandparents didn’t say anything, nor did his parents. Only his uncle gave him a long, thoughtful look before asking, "If you didn’t want to be together, why did you marry her in the first place?"

"Just give her money? If you didn’t want to be together, why did you marry her?"

Unexpectedly, even in a dream, his uncle said the same thing.

Ji Ze wanted to defend himself, but when he met his uncle’s cold gaze, he swallowed his words back.

His uncle really seemed like the type who wouldn’t marry if he didn’t want to. In the dream, he and Song Jing already had two kids, yet he was still single, though his position got higher every year.

Speaking of Song Jing, Ji Ze couldn’t understand how they ended up together.

In the dream, Lin Qiao had a heart condition, and the wedding was quickly arranged. His mother didn’t have time to ask Song Jing to pretend to be his girlfriend, so they didn’t have much interaction.

Song Jing and Yu Jin, just like in reality, were engaged and even got their marriage certificate. Yu Jin had an accident at the wedding.

It was also because of the production line. Chen Weiguo stabbed him, but in the dream, there wasn’t any mention of Chen Weiguo asking him to pass a message to his uncle.

Just as he thought of Yu Jin and Chen Weiguo, Ji Duo asked, "What about the Yu family in your dream?"

"They fell too," Ji Ze said, "but it was two years later, this year, because of the Gu family’s issues."

If it weren’t for the Yu family falling, even if Yu Jin was already incapacitated, Song Jing wouldn’t have been able to divorce him so easily.

Because of this formal marriage, Song Jing didn’t leave for the south like in reality, and eventually, they ended up together.

Ji Duo listened and lowered his eyes in contemplation.

It seemed that Shao Ping’s death was eventually investigated.

"What about Shao Zhen? Did you find her in your dream?"

This time, Ji Ze hesitated. "I don’t have any memory of that, and in my dream, Elder Gu passed away last year. I even attended the funeral with you."

Elder Gu passed away last year?

But Elder Gu was doing well, and since finding his granddaughter, he had become much more cheerful. His health had picked up a lot since then. After returning, he visited the elderly man, who was full of energy and slowly practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard.

But if Lin Qiao had married Xiao Ze in the dream, given their relationship, she likely wouldn’t have known anything about Shao Zhen and Shao Ping.

And Ji Duo seriously doubted that the Lin Qiao in Xiao Ze’s dream was the same woman who lay beside him.

Lin Qiao was rational and independent. From the day she married him, she never intended to rely on him for everything. She was capable, smart, and shared an unspoken understanding with him, which is why, over time, he began to develop deeper feelings for her.

If it were the Lin Qiao from Xiao Ze's dream who married him, he would still marry her and protect her for life, but that’s all he could do for her.

If it were the Lin Qiao from Xiao Ze's dream, the engagement might not have even been his...

Someone said something that made everyone in the main room burst into laughter. Ji Duo looked over but said nothing.

Ji Ze glanced at his expression and, seeing that he wasn’t as angry as before, tentatively said, "I've got this strange illness where I dream about everything, and it feels so real. One day, I might not be able to tell reality from dreams and could end up mentally unstable. You're the most reliable person in the family, so I can only talk to you about this."

That last sentence was the real purpose.

"If I really do go mentally unstable, please help me find a reliable person to oversee the factory. I have 50% shares; I’ll give 20% to my parents, 10% to Xiao Ling, and 10% to my grandparents, who will only receive dividends and not be involved in management. I’ll give the last 10% to my aunt, so she’ll have 50% and can take over management."

He had really thought this through. He had probably spent sleepless nights pondering it.

But with the instinct to survive, he couldn’t help but ask, "What if I ask my uncle to look into it and see if going abroad might help?"

There was still a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I've heard that the medical standards abroad are better than here; maybe they could cure me..."

Before he could finish, Ji Duo kicked him in the rear again.

Ji Duo stubbed out his cigarette, his eyes filled with disdain. "I think a few more beatings will do you good."

Ji Ze, probably really tormented by that dream, hesitated while dodging. "Really?"

Ji Duo was almost amused by him. "Did it hurt when you got beat up in your dream?"

Lin Qiao in his dream was his wife, not his uncle's, so of course, he hadn't been beaten...

But Ji Ze didn’t dare say that unless he really didn’t want to live.

However, his uncle’s words did remind him of something. In his dream, he and Song Jing were so in love, but when he woke up, he felt nothing. In that way, dreams and reality were still distinguishable.

Thinking this, Ji Ze felt a little better. He still wasn’t fully himself, but it was better than being on the brink of death or insanity...

Seeing his nephew visibly relax, Ji Duo no longer wanted to talk to him. "Don't tell anyone about this dream in the future."

Unable to help himself, he added, "And don't wear those shoes either."

"Don't they look good?" Ji Ze instinctively lifted his foot. "This style is popular in Yandu this year."

Seeing his uncle’s furrowed brows, he quickly assured him, "I'll change them when I get back. I haven't told anyone else about this dream except you."

Ji Duo turned and left.

Back in the living room, Old Master Ji immediately noticed his grandson’s odd gait. "Did your uncle give you a beating?"

"How did you know?" Ji Ze’s expression was embarrassed.

Old Master Ji snorted coldly at him. "Your hair looks like it’s been licked by a cow. I can tell you're up to no good."

The description was so vivid that Xu Li, Lin Wei, and even Lin Qiao in the room burst into laughter.

Ji Duo didn’t laugh. When Lin Qiao turned to look at him, she found the man gazing quietly at her, his eyes seemingly probing.

"What is it?" She raised her phoenix eyes.

Ji Duo’s gaze fell on the small mole at the corner of her eye. "Nothing. You look good."

This compliment made Xu Li laugh.

The old lady was afraid that the young couple would feel embarrassed, so she deliberately didn’t look in their direction and stood up. "I’ll go check if the meal is ready."

However, Lin Qiao still shot Ji Duo a sideways glance, and Ji Duo quickly averted his gaze.

Xiao Ze’s dream seemed like another possibility. On the surface, it appeared absurd, but upon closer examination, there was a certain reasonableness to it.

Habitually fond of controlling the overall situation, for a moment, he was tempted to explore whether Lin Qiao had any connection to Xiao Ze’s dream.

But as soon as the thought surfaced, he extinguished it himself.

A dream is just a dream. No matter how real or reasonable it seemed, it wasn’t the reality he had lived through.

The Lin Qiao he lived with was the one in this reality, and it was this Lin Qiao who had stirred such thoughts in him. If he were to let a dream cause him to overthink and affect his real life, that would truly be a sign of losing his mind.

Ji Duo pulled over the newly served chestnuts on the coffee table and lowered his eyes to help Lin Qiao peel them.

He had noticed earlier that Lin Qiao was eating them, but her nails had just been trimmed, making it difficult for her to peel them. After only a few, she stopped.

His long, steady fingers worked quickly. In no time, a complete chestnut kernel fell into Lin Qiao’s palm.

Lin Qiao glanced at him, picked it up, and ate it.

Just as he was about to peel another one, Xu Li entered and announced that the meal in the dining room was ready.

Everyone got up to head to the dining room, and he was just about to go wash his hands when he saw his elder nephew lagging behind, enthusiastically inviting his brother-in-law, "Uncle, I’ll drink a toast with you later to make up for my rudeness that day. I was a bit out of line, and seeing how young and handsome you are, I mistook you for another of Auntie’s suitors."

"Suitors? Another?" Ji Duo picked up on two keywords.

His tone remained normal, and his expression was as stern as ever, as if he hadn’t heard clearly and was just asking casually.

Ji Ze repeated, "That day when Uncle came over, I went to give Auntie some plastic bottles and bumped into her outside her lab."

That wasn’t what Ji Duo wanted to ask. Frowning, he said, "Your Auntie has other suitors?"

Ji Ze then realized, "Yes, quite a few. That’s why I go to Tsinghua so often—to keep an eye on things for you. You know, Peking University is right next door. Some people even bring those old tape recorders—the kind that play cassettes—and sing songs like 'Childhood' to Auntie outside her lab."

He imitated the singing, "‘The girl from the next class hasn’t passed by my window yet…’ You wouldn’t believe how good they sound!"

"Don’t they know your Auntie is married?"

"Some at Tsinghua know, but those at Peking University? They’re not from the same school, so how would they know? But don’t worry, I’ve been there a few times, and once they knew I was the nephew of Auntie’s husband, they backed off."

This response left Ji Duo silently observing his nephew for a long time before saying, "You’ve done well going there, but don’t go again."

Whatever the two whispered about in the back, Lin Qiao didn’t quite catch it. But the next day, Ji Duo escorted her to the lab door.

Before, he had only dropped her off at the school entrance. This time, walking all the way together immediately attracted a lot of attention.

After all, both of them were quite good-looking, and the man was dressed in an eye-catching military uniform.

Upon reaching the lab, Ji Duo didn’t rush to leave. He asked her when she would finish at noon and what she wanted to eat.

Standing tall and imposing at the lab entrance, he drew immediate attention. A few first and second-year graduate students who arrived late paused for a moment.

Only after he left did they enter, holding their materials, and glanced at Lin Qiao. "Was that your husband earlier?"

"Yes," Lin Qiao could already guess what Ji Ze had said the day before.

It's just that in her past life, those boys played guitars, but in this era, they carry tape recorders.

However, when it comes to more direct expressions, she would tell them that she is married. Some believe her, while others obviously don’t.

Unexpectedly, Ji Duo, the veteran official, quietly made a move to assert his claim.

She chuckled, "He’s been on leave lately, so he’s got some free time."

"But I haven’t seen anyone else come all the way to the lab to pick you up."

A junior who hadn’t seen Ji Duo before remarked, "But your partner is really handsome and quite a match for you."

Even Zhang Changning, who was usually a bit absent-minded, knew, "Your partner is back. Do you want a few days off?"

"No need," Lin Qiao put on her lab coat as usual. "There’s only one last task left. He has more than half a month of leave, so a few more days won’t matter."

At noon, Ji Duo arrived punctually to pick her up, just as Qi Huaiwen came to return a book.

After two years, this kid had grown taller, and due to his heavy academic workload, he now wore glasses. The thin lenses covered his almond-shaped eyes, making him look even more aloof.

Probably just coming out of the lab, the boy wore a white lab coat, standing next to Lin Qiao, looking somewhat like a classmate of the same grade.

Ji Duo’s steps unconsciously paused. The other party obviously saw him and politely called out, "Shiniang."

However, before leaving, he said to Lin Qiao, "Goodbye, senior."

This caught Ji Duo’s attention, and when Lin Qiao came out after changing, he casually asked,

"He called you senior?"

Lin Qiao nodded and walked out with him. "We are from the same college. It’s a bit strange to call me ‘teacher.’ People always look at us. Besides, I’m not much older than him."

Ji Duo didn’t say anything more, but when they got home, he paused briefly in front of a mirror.

That night, during his wash-up, he habitually reached for the soap, intending to quickly finish. His hand had already touched the soap box but paused again.

Next to the soap dish was a small plastic bottle of face wash that Lin Qiao had made for him, a milky white paste.

Ji Duo stared at it for a long time before finally picking it up and squeezing some onto his hand.

The day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lin Wei finally finished his work and, after more than three years, bid farewell to Lin Qiao and headed back home.

Lin Qiao’s project also entered its final stage, and the next steps of writing the thesis and making the presentation were mainly Zhang Changning’s tasks.

Meanwhile, Ji Ze had successfully tested the pump bottles, and the first batch of dishwashing liquid and shampoo had started bottling, awaiting the official launch after the holiday.

With some rare free time, Lin Qiao went back to the old house with Ji Duo on the 14th. Unexpectedly, just after dinner and returning to their room to rest, Ye Minshu came.

Both of them heard it but didn’t move, continuing to flip through photos from past holidays, their demeanor icy.

Ji Duo also noticed the same shirt on Lin Qiao. "Isn’t this a bit small?"

Actually, it wasn’t that the shirt was small; Lin Qiao’s figure had changed, making it feel tight.

This made Lin Qiao glance at him suspiciously, wondering if he’d try to cover her up with one of his old shirts.

Just then, Xu Li came to knock on the door, saying that the Old Master wanted Ji Duo in the study.

At that moment, they were still leaning against the table, and the scene felt eerily familiar, reminding Lin Qiao of Xu Li’s birthday party three years ago.

At that time, Ji Duo and Lin Qiao had only been married for a short while. Ji Yan had even sent her some lingerie, and it was Xu Li who came looking for them, leading them to the study.

Ji Duo wasn’t sure how long he had been gone, but when he returned, Lin Qiao was already asleep.

Lin Qiao kept her eyes down, not saying a word. But Ji Duo glanced at her and then turned to Xu Li, asking, "Is this about family?"

Xu Li glanced at Lin Qiao, about to speak, but Ji Duo had already taken Lin Qiao’s hand. "Then let’s head over."

His large hand was warm and reassuring, firm yet gentle. "Since it’s a family matter, maybe Qiao Qiao can help brainstorm some ideas."